Max Verstappen, the battered Dutchman who will be looking for his second F1 title

From a hundred percent fierce family, he has been driving since he was 4 years old. His father Jos, ex-F1, “taught” him very violent but useful methods according to both, to make him a competitive machine.

Max Verstappen will seek his second title of Formula 1 when he runs Japanese Grand Prix this Sunday early morning and, on board his Red Bull RB16B. So far, he has won 11 races in the 2022 season after last year he snapped seven consecutive years of titles for Mercedes drivers, an unprecedented record, of which six of them were from the British Lewis Hamilton.

Max Verstappen, the slapped Dutchman who will seek another title in Formula 1

From the age of four, when he started kartingthe history of the precocious Dutchman was built, who from his debut in 2015 aimed to become world champion and managed to achieve it last year in yes marinathe house of Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. But the path to the gates of glory is not obscure.

He was born 25 years ago – on September 30, ’97- in Hasselt, in eastern Belgium, and has had motor racing in his blood since day zero.. He inherited the nationality of the Netherlands through his father Johannes Franciscusbetter known as Jos, former driver of the highest category (107 GP between 1994 and 2003, two podiums). In 1997, he married Sophie Kumpen and they had Max, the eldest, who breathed F1 from the cradle.. Both divorced in 2008 and she accused him of gender-based violence, but she wasn’t the only one who experienced it.

Jos was also the owner of an early talent that faded with time: in ’93 many F1 teams wanted him and he started at Benneton, who next year will become world champion with Michael Schumacher. After being a sidekick for the German, he went into decline: he went through Simtek, Footwork, Tyrrell, Stewart, Arrows and Minardi. beyond two podiums, the most remembered image of him is burning in the pitlane of the German GP in 1994, when a trail of fuel and a spark caused an inferno from which he miraculously emerged unscathed.

After retiring in 2003, Verstappen Sr. almost quit. in his career to support his son Max’s dream from an early age, not just with resources. He ‘studied’ him with little accepted methods but, according to themselves – they said it in a joint note -, effective. “What are you doing?! Don’t drive like that or we’ll go home”he was booed in front of all the world kart championship pits after the blow to the helmet, before he climbed back in and won it. He also took her out of school in the middle of winter to test her and even left her alone at a gas station after losing a race. very difficult

His mother is not well known, but he rose to fame in the karting world until he beat top-level drivers then such as Italians Jarno Trulli and Giancarlo Fisichella. Christian Horner, the leader behind the RedBull team, raced him in the ’89 Junior World Championship and did not hesitate to say that “he is among the top ten drivers in the world”. She dreamed of reaching F1, but when she married Jos she chose to dedicate herself to the family. “I see that my son is doing what I want to do and I’m very happy,” he told F1 outlet Wags.

The family’s connection to competition extends even further to the mother’s side. His cousin Anthony is also outstanding in the world of endurance racing (Le Mans, Spa, Daytona…) and the European version of NASCAR, his great-uncle Paul was a national champion in Rallycross and his grandfather, also a pilot but a novice, came to lead Racing de Genk, a football club playing in the Belgian First Division. Even her younger sister Victoria Jane -now a fashion influencer- tried her luck as a girl on four wheels, but without success.

Of them all, there is no doubt that the most successful is Max, who has a very tough character forged through blows and challenges. Everything he needs to beat the talents of his generation like Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly. To become the youngest debutant and winner in the 70-year history of the category. To establish himself in a big team and, finally, be one step away from realizing his dream of becoming world champion again.